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Publishing Corner: Indian Community: Science & Wonder Indian Heros: California Indian Art: CALIE Library: Academic Financial Aid: Tribal Governments: Indian Gaming: |
Yester-Years NOVEMBER 28, 2013 -- Rez Ball 2pm, Thanksgiving Day 1955 on the Soboba Indian reservation at what is today referred to the number one ball field. It seems like it was yesterday but in reality it was a life time ago. The baseball field was not like it is today with beautiful manicured grass, state of the art lights, shade trees, covered bleachers, paved parking lots and nice drinking fountains. No, it was a mix of hard sand, dirt and small rocks and dusty. We drank from a community water hose if there was water and if not from a shared water cooler. With the Thanksgiving dinner full in our bellies we all, I mean the entire reservation population, migrated to the baseball field for the traditional annual football game between the single guys against the married guys. I don't know how the rules came about but they were what they were and we just accepted them as part of the tribal traditions. Age was not a factor anyone that wanted to play was accepted. It was simple single guys against the married guys if you were 17 and married you played with married guys. If you were living with someone you were considered married. I don't know what the criteria as for that determination and as it didn’t pertain to me so I didn't care. The rules were simple and everyone followed them. No clipping, biting, clawing or fighting hell we were already in a game of mayhem. The referees were boss, there were two referees one single guy and one married. They were normally guys that were hurt from the year before. We played tackle, no pads, helmets or cleats (football or baseball). It was brutal lots of blood noses minor cuts and scrapes. It was intense like we were playing for the world championship and in our minds maybe we were. This was my first time to play in the Thanksgiving Football game. I was 14 years old and my partner and buddy Augie Hyde was 15. I remember some of the other single guys but not all. Vince "Dugger" Valdez, and Paul Resvaloso had just graduated from high school in June and were home on leave from the Marine Corps having just completing their Basic Training and Johnny "Cake" Razon and Leandro "Tato" Silvas were sophomores. Benny Helms, Rufus Garcia, Robert "Buggie" Bentiste, Clifford "Tippy" Britten and Foster Hurtado were some of the married guys. The game was called to an end when Benny's collarbone and Rufus' leg were broken. "Tato" was later diagnosed with a blood clot in his leg. A head concussion was not ever considered a minor injury, you got knocked out they threw a little water in your face and you were good to go as were sprains, bruises and cuts. Like I said it was brutal, frightening, and downright scary, but it was incredibility great at the same time. Whether it was a rite of passage or what, I have no Idea, to me it was a game I got to play and for that I was happy. I played in two more games but never played as a married guy. Why I never continued to play I don't know and I never gave it much thought. On that Thanksgiving Day respect was earned and given. I always respected the married and single guys for stepping up to the line and I knew that they respected me as well. Maybe that’s what it was all about, who knows but my Thanksgiving Day in 1955 is a memory I will always remember and cherish.
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